Anti-circular run device



Oct 11, 1960 H. E. ELLERMAN, JR 2,955,557

ANTI-CIRCULAR RUN DEVICE Filed July l, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I ]91 Z POWER |8 SUPPLY r r SYNCHRO DETECTOR v SYNCHRO CONTROL 5 GENERATOR TRANS- TRIGGER V FQRMER V CIRCUIT I RELAY l 1/224 {-28 1 I V I I AZIMUTH AOR 2 /lo GYRO STEERWG PROPULSION GYRO MEANS -20 1 F22 l4 PICK-OFF INVENTOR.

HARRY E. ELLERMAN,JR.

ATTORNEYS Oct. 11, 1960 H. E. ELLERMAN, JR 2,955,557

ANTI-CIRCULAR RUN DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 1, 1953 JNVENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS nited States ANTI-CIRCULAR RUN DEVICE Filed July 1, 1953, Ser. No. 365,441

Claims. c1. 114-24 This invention relates to torpedo protective devices, and in particular to an anti-circular run device for preventing a torpedo from attacking the vessel from which it is launched.

During World War H it is known that at least one submarine was destroyed by one of its torpedoes circling back to attack it. Various means have since been incorporated in torpedoes to prevent this from again happening. Such devices are identified generally as anticircular run devices and will be subsequently referred to as ACR devices. In the past these ACR devices have operated to stop the propulsion means of the torpedo if the torpedo rudders stayed in a position corresponding to a turn in one direction for a predetermined period of time; however, such means are not satisfactory if the torpedo speed does not remain substantially constant, and are particularly ineffective in torpedoes having position-proportional rudder control.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a torpedo protective device that will prevent a torpedo from circling to a position from which it may attack the vessel from which it was launched.

It is a further object to provide an ACR device which is independent of the speed and rudder position of the torpedo and is operative to prevent a torpedo from circling to attack its launching vessel.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide gyroscopic means for preventing a torpedo from circling to attack the vessel from which it was fired, and to provide means for detecting excessive drift of the gyroscopic means.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the relations of the elements of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a gyro pickoif; and

Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram of the invention.

In Fig. l the azimuth steering gyro is used to control the steering of the torpedo in azimuth by conventional means which are not illustrated. An ACR gyro 12 is provided with pick-oil 14 which is illustrated in Fig. 2. The pick-off 14 energizes relay 16 which in turn stops the flow of energy from power supply 18 to the propulsion means 20 of the torpedo when the ACR gyro 12 measures, or detects, that the torpedo has turned through a predetermined angle. After relay 16 has been energized, its contact remains closed (for example by use of a latching relay) and subsequent deenergization will not permit energy to flow from power supply 18 to propulsion means 20. Shaft 22, which is shown as a dotted line in Fig. 1, mechanically connects ACR gyro 12 with pick-01f 14. Shaft 22a mechanically connects ACR gyro 12 to the rotor 23 of synchro generator 24. The rotor 25 of synchro control transformer 26 is seatent O cured to shaft 28 of the azimuth steering gyro 10. Error signals, or voltages, generated in the rotor 25 of synchro control transformer 26 are applied to the detector and trigger circuit 30. When the error voltage exceeds a predetermined magnitude, which voltage is a function of the angular difierence, or error, between positions of the axis of rotation of ACR gyro 12 and the axis of rotation of the azimuth steering gyro 10, circuit 30 causes relay 16 to be energized to disconnect power supply 18 from propulsion means 20.

Pick-01f 14, illustrated in Fig. 2, comprises an arm 32 which is mounted on shaft 22. Arm 32 has a contact 34 formed on one end thereof, which slides on the surface of disc 36 with a minimum of -friction. Disc 36 is mounted in predetermined orientation within the torpedo, and has a non-conducting portion 38 and a conducting portion 40 formed therein. Terminal 42 makes a low friction electrical contact with the lower isolated portion of shaft 22, and terminal 44 is secured to the conducting portion 40 of disc 36, so that an electrical circuit is com pleted whenever the contact 34 engages conductor portion 40. Insulator 45 electrically isolates pick-cit 14 from ACR gyro 12.

Shortly before the torpedo is fired the ACR gyro 12 is caged and brought up to speed by conventional means which are not illustrated, and is uncaged upon launching. The axis of rotation of the rotor of gyro 12 parallels, for example, the longitudinal axis of the torpedo. Segment 40 is then located relative to arm 32 so that if the torpedo makes a turn of 170 degrees from the direction of the axis of rotation of the rotor of gyro 12 at the time of launching, contact 34 will engage conducting segment 40 and complete a circuit which energizes relay 16 with v. single phase 400 cycle alternating current.

In Fig. 3 the electrical circuitry of the invention is illustrated. Inverter 46 is powered by the 24 v. D.C. output of batteries comprising power supply 18 and generates 115 v. single phase 400 cycle alternating current. The rotor 23 of synchro generator 24 is energized by the 400 cycle A.C. from inverter 46 and induces currents in the stator windings 48 of synchro generator 24. The voltages generated in the stator windings 48 of generator 24 are applied to the stator windings 50 of the synchro control transformer 26 and induce an error signal, or voltage, in the rotor 25 of transformer 26 if there is any difierence in the angular position of the axis of rotation of ACR gyro 12 with respect to the axis of rotation of the azimuth steering gyro 10. The AC. error signal is applied to the trigger and detector circuit 30 which forms the subject of US. patent application of David A. Cooke, Serial No. 367,467, filed July 13, 1953, now U.S. Patent No. 2,781,478. Circuit 30 rectifies the error signal so that a positive voltage, which is a tunction of the magnitude of the error signal, is applied to the control grid 52 of thyratron 54. When the magnitude of the error signal exceeds a predetermined amount, thyratron 54, across which there is applied 115 v. 400 cycle A.C., will conduct and cause current to flow through the windings 56 of relay 16. Relay 16 then opens the circuit from the power supply 18 to the propulsion means 20 and to the inverter 46. Relay 16, as was pointed out above, also can be energized by the circuit including pick-01f 14.

In operation a torpedo is placed in a torpedo launching tube prior to firing. Shortly before the torpedo is fired, inverter 46 is started, and ACR gyro 12 and azimuth steering gyro 10 are energized to bring the rotors of these gyros up to speed by means which are not illustrated. Both of the gyros are caged by conventional means so that their axes of rotation are parallel, for example, and are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the torpedo. After the torpedo is launched the gyros are uncaged and power is applied from source 18 to the propulsion means 20. If ACR {1 2 detects Ior measures that the torpedo has made a turn'with respect to the heading at the time oflaunching of greater than a predetermined amount, for example, 170 degrees, then the pic-koff 14 will complete a circuit which will apply 1:1'5 v. 400;cycle,A. C. tothe coils 56-ro-f relay';16-t 0 SLQP power from being supplied to the r puls-ion;; eau 2 D frompower supply 18,1rarld. thus preven th i P from attacking the .vessel from which it was fired.

There is, of course',1a .possibilitythat the AGR gyro maydrift to=such ansextent that .the torpedo could circle backtoward and attack the launching vessel without pickoff 14 energizing relay 16. To preventlthis, the directionsof the axes of rotation of the ACR gyro lz and the azimuth steering gyro arecontinuouslycornpared by thesynchro generator 24 and thesynchrocontrol transformer 26. .When the difference in;the.diIeQtiQn, or the error, between the axes of rotation of the -two gyros exceeds a predetermined angle; for example, '9 degrees, the magnitude of the error'voltage induced in {the rotor of synchro control transforr'neri26 xw-ill'be sufficient to cause the thyratr'on .54 to'conduct and energize the windings 56 of relay 16 so that ;the relay 16 will open "up the circuit trom the power supply 18 to the propulsion means 20 andthus stop the torpedo.

The means for detecting drifitiof vACR gyro 12 also detect drift of steering gyro 10. If the steering gyro drifts excessively, the ACR device will operate to stop'the torpedo. However, no ;harm results from-this since excessive drift of azimuth steering gyro 1.0 would cause an erratic torpedo run. After the torpedohas traveled a suflicient distance so that there is no likelihood of its -;attacking the launching vessel, the ACR'device may be disabled, if desired, by conventional means that are not illustrated, so that the torpedo may circle to attack a target. s

In describing the operation of the invention it was assumed that the torpedo is preset tomake a straight "run along the launching direction. It should be apparent, however, that the invention is fully applicable to torpedoes-wherein the gyros are preset toenable angle shots. 1

Obviously many modifications and variations .of the '-present invention are possiblein the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced o therwise than as .specificallysdescribed.

What is claimed is: r

1. -In a torpedo havingpropulsion means, a power supply, and guidance means including an azimuth steering gyro, the improvementscomprising; an anti-circular run gyro, means controlled byv said anti-circular run gyro .for disconnecting the power supply from the propulsion means when the anti-circular run gyro measures a change of predetermined magnitude in azimuthal heading of thetorpedo after launching, and means for measuring the angle of drift of said anti-circular run gyro relative to said azimuth steering gyro andoperative upon the measurement of a predetermined angle of drift to disconnect the power supply from the propulsion means.

2. In a torpedo having propulsion means, a power supply, and guidance means including an azimuth steer- 20 e .voltage, and a detector and trigger circuit adapted to ing gyro, the improvements comprising; an anti-circular run gyro, a pick-off connected to said anti-circular run gyro, a relay adapted when energized to disconnect the power supply from the propulsion means, said pick-ofi adapted to energize the reljay means to disconnect the power supply from the propulsion means when the anticircular run gyro measures a change of a predetermined magnitude in the azimuthal heading of the torpedo after launching, and means for measuring the angle of drift of said anti-circular run gyro relative to said azimuth steering gyro and operative upon the measurement of a predetermined angle of drift to energize the relay to disconnect the power supply from the propulsion means.

3. The combination as defined in claim 2 in which the means for measuring drift of .theanti-circular run gyro relative to the azimuth steering gyro comprises a synchro generator operatively connected to one of the gyros, a synchro control transformer operatively connected to the other gyro, electrically connected to the s ynchro generator, and adapted to produce an error have the error voltage applied thereto, said circuit operative when said error voltage exceeds a predetermined ,rnagnitude to energize thesrelay.

V 4. A torpedo comprising propulsion means, a power ,supply forthe propulsion ,means, guidance means including an azimuth steering gyro, an anti-circular run -gyro,;means controlled by the latter said gyro for stoppingthe supplyof power to the propulsion means when said anti-circular run gyro detects a change of heading in azimuth of the torpedo of a predetermined mag-.

nitude a fterthe'torpedo is launched, synchro means for detectingthe angle drift .of said anti-circular run gyro relative to the azimuth steering gyro, and means controlled by the synchro means tor stopping the supply of power to the propulsionmeanswhen the angle of the drift of said anti-circular rungyro relativeto the azimuth steering gyroexceeds a predeterminedmagnitude.

5. Atorpedo comprising propulsion means, a power supply, guidance means including an azimuth steering gyro, an anti-circular run'gyro having a pick-off, a relay adapted to disconnect the power supply from the propulsion means when energized, said anti-circular run gyro and pick-off adapted to energize the relay when the anti-circular run gyro measures ,a predetermined 'angular change in-the azimuthal heading ofthetorpedo af-terthe torpedo is launched, a synchro generator operatively connected to the anti-circular run gyro,ia synchro control transformer operatively connected to the azimuth steering gyro, said generator and transformer adapted to produce an error voltage whose magnitude is a function of the angle of driftof the anti-circular run gyro relative to the azimuth steering gyro, and circuit means to which the error voltage is applied and adapted to energize the relay whenever the error voltage exceedsapredeter- 1 mined magnitude.

References Cited in. the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

